love/hate relationships with my cars :/

[ViviTheMage]

i have a 01 VW Jetta wolfsburg 1.8t that I love. Perfect car for me, decent gas mileage, decent horsepower, and does not stick out like a sore thumb.

but every car that I have owned in the past, I come to this road block and I end up doing my second option, which is selling the car for something new/different.

anytime I come know I have to repair something big, I usually consider selling and getting a new car, but its become an endless loop!

I need to do, eventually, and would rather do it sooner then later, clutch, both back wheel bearings, rotors, pads, o rings, other misc stuffs that my auto shop quoted me at ROUGHLY 2000 bucks...its not bad, but I know the turbo will be going out somewhat soon....which is another add on.

I have already done 2500 worth of work on it (previous owner did not take too care of it, so I wanted to do a lot of pre-emp maint. including -- oil pump, cams, timing belt 'kit', tensions, rollers, gaskets, etc). I also did 1000 worth of body work, including -- repainting my hood, and both passenger doors (someone ripped my rub strips off...).

so all in all... paid 4800$ for the car, 3500$ so far in maint., as well as 400 on new tires == 8800$ on a 2001 vehicle, now I need to add 2000 more. At this point I would sell it for 6-7k and pick up something else.

so i thought id come here for advice...SELL and get something new (I am not sure what either...), or fix and lovers the car longer and wait for something else to happen?

Plus, the way things are selling like crap lately, I probably wont even get 6k for it!

oy....

 

[T2urtle]

brake rotors and pads you can learn to do yourself, rather simple and easy task for most people. If you can build a computer you can do brakes. Just gotta get a little dirty and put some muscle to it.

how do you know the turbo is going to be bad?

for you to do a t-belt it should have 105k,

this one is a tough call, i put the car at 5k. Do you have a car in mind that your going to get? I would consider getting things done and keep on driving it. seems like you taken care of all the BIG problems after this who set of repairs. Nothing more SHOULD go wrong that can be extremely costly.

 

[radioouman]

How did you pay $4800 for it and expect to get $6000-$7000 for it?

 

[Thump553]

I suggest you are looking at it backwards. What you paid for the car is irrelevant. The significant numbers are:

(1)what will it cost to bring this car back into shape so that I'd be happy with it and it would be reliable?
-possible subset question-what will it cost to do the bare minimum repairs to make this car reasonably reliable?

(2) what will it cost to get a replacement car?

When it makes financial sense to get a new car, cut the strings and do it. Otherwise hang on. Most people, I think, cut the strings too early-but admittedly, a newer vehicle is probably more reliable.

Remember to factor in insurance costs, fuel, etc. when comparing.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: T2urtle
brake rotors and pads you can learn to do yourself, rather simple and easy task for most people. If you can build a computer you can do brakes. Just gotta get a little dirty and put some muscle to it.

how do you know the turbo is going to be bad?

for you to do a t-belt it should have 105k,

this one is a tough call, i put the car at 5k. Do you have a car in mind that your going to get? I would consider getting things done and keep on driving it. seems like you taken care of all the BIG problems after this who set of repairs. Nothing more SHOULD go wrong that can be extremely costly.

turbos tend to go bad around 140k, TYPICALLY.

Brakes and rotors I have done, but there is an issue with the wheel bearings I do not have the tools for.

you are right though, with the 'last big issue' ... its like the last leg of the race, haha...

Originally posted by: radioouman
How did you pay $4800 for it and expect to get $6000-$7000 for it?

I bought it for 4800 knowing it needed atleast 2k done to it...that and kbb agrees? haha

Originally posted by: Thump553
I suggest you are looking at it backwards. What you paid for the car is irrelevant. The significant numbers are:

(1)what will it cost to bring this car back into shape so that I'd be happy with it and it would be reliable?
-possible subset question-what will it cost to do the bare minimum repairs to make this car reasonably reliable?

(2) what will it cost to get a replacement car?

When it makes financial sense to get a new car, cut the strings and do it. Otherwise hang on. Most people, I think, cut the strings too early-but admittedly, a newer vehicle is probably more reliable.

Remember to factor in insurance costs, fuel, etc. when comparing.

TDI would most likely be my replacement -- but I think I may wait for the 09 models, as they are supposed to be 140hp , 2.0T and 50~~ MPG.

It is reliable, I just know these issues are going to peak there head soon, i am just anal about keeping my cars in tip top shape for some reason.

 

[T2urtle]

that can be a problem. keeping a VW in tip top shape can cost you dearly. suprized there are no smaller items. coolant sensor, fan control module, window regulars, frozen trunk hindges. when i worked on VW's they come in left and right.

turbos DO NOT tend to go at that mileage. They go when ever they want to go or how they have been treated. some have 190k and still going strong on stockers. Same with clutches...



i'm with thump on this, my choice will be greatly affected by the car i'm looking into since your loooking at the new TDI's you do know your going to pay ABOVE MSRP by like 2-5 grand. People go all over for these cars, they will accept any color and any option combo sometimes.

 

[Raduque]

I have nothing to add to this conversation except immediately after reading the OPs post, I went on Craigslist and the first ad was somebody selling a '99 Wolfsburg Jetta for $2500.

I just thought that was funny.

 

[Budmantom]

How many miles are on the car?

How long have you had it?

There is a fine line of maintaining a $5k vehicle and over maintaining that car (ie: spending $400 to stop a very slow oil leak).

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: Budmantom
How many miles are on the car?

How long have you had it?

There is a fine line of maintaining a $5k vehicle and over maintaining that car (ie: spending $400 to stop a very slow oil leak).

124k on it, I have had it since 100k. I will probably only do my clutch-throw out bearing-and the o rings...and leave my back wheel bearings + rotors + pads for another day...save maybe 600 or so. I would do those myself, but i dont have a compression tool, or a decompression tool that the dubs need for rotors and such.

Originally posted by: Raduque
I have nothing to add to this conversation except immediately after reading the OPs post, I went on Craigslist and the first ad was somebody selling a '99 Wolfsburg Jetta for $2500.

I just thought that was funny.

its an 01 wolfy, not 99...huge difference -- big one being body style. 99 = mark 3, 01 = mark 4. going about 5k-7k here in Minneapolis.

Originally posted by: T2urtle
that can be a problem. keeping a VW in tip top shape can cost you dearly. suprized there are no smaller items. coolant sensor, fan control module, window regulars, frozen trunk hindges. when i worked on VW's they come in left and right.

turbos DO NOT tend to go at that mileage. They go when ever they want to go or how they have been treated. some have 190k and still going strong on stockers. Same with clutches...



i'm with thump on this, my choice will be greatly affected by the car i'm looking into since your loooking at the new TDI's you do know your going to pay ABOVE MSRP by like 2-5 grand. People go all over for these cars, they will accept any color and any option combo sometimes.

I have done the colant sensor, window regulators . those were a cake walk, its just engine work I do not have the space to do it in..I live in uptown, with no garage . so I have my trusty mechanics at c squared do it all.

I would love an 09 TDI, but there is a waiting list anyway, so yes paying above MSRP will be common I am sure....but man they are supposed to be very sweet ...more power, 2.0T better mileage!

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage

Originally posted by: Raduque
I have nothing to add to this conversation except immediately after reading the OPs post, I went on Craigslist and the first ad was somebody selling a '99 Wolfsburg Jetta for $2500.

I just thought that was funny.

its an 01 wolfy, not 99...huge difference -- big one being body style. 99 = mark 3, 01 = mark 4. going about 5k-7k here in Minneapolis.

I don't know anything about vdubs. I just thought it was funny i read this topic about a wolfburg jetta, then I went on craigslist and somebody was selling one.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: Raduque

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage

Originally posted by: Raduque
I have nothing to add to this conversation except immediately after reading the OPs post, I went on Craigslist and the first ad was somebody selling a '99 Wolfsburg Jetta for $2500.

I just thought that was funny.

its an 01 wolfy, not 99...huge difference -- big one being body style. 99 = mark 3, 01 = mark 4. going about 5k-7k here in Minneapolis.

I don't know anything about vdubs. I just thought it was funny i read this topic about a wolfburg jetta, then I went on craigslist and somebody was selling one.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/car/675753128.html
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/car/695988653.html

etc...I am not worried about selling it, I am just contemplating what I should do, sell or fix , then sell in a few years when the new TDI is more mainstream.